There’s something especially satisfying about a speaker that sounds considerably bigger than it looks. That was one of my first impressions after getting some time with the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. It has the clean, understated appearance I expect from Bose, but once I started using a pair of them for music and movies, I realized there’s much more going on here than the design suggests. These can be simple wireless speakers when that’s all you need, but Bose has also built them to become part of a stereo, multiroom, or full home theater setup. Throw in TrueSpatial Technology, CleanBass, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Alexa, Apple AirPlay and Google Cast, and Bose has managed to squeeze a surprising amount of technology into a speaker that doesn’t demand much space in your room.
Much More Sound Than I Expected
Rather than immediately treating these as part of a larger Bose system, I wanted to see what the Lifestyle Ultra Speakers could do by themselves. Since I had two available, I placed one behind me on each side and put on a movie. That turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. After making a few adjustments to give the higher frequencies a little more punch, the pair created a surprisingly immersive experience. There was a sense of sound coming from around me rather than simply hearing everything projected from a speaker sitting in one location. Considering I wasn’t using the complete Lifestyle Ultra home theater setup, I came away pretty impressed with what these two relatively small speakers were able to accomplish.
I did run into one strange issue that’s worth mentioning. When I initially watched video content over Bluetooth, the dialogue didn’t sound quite right. Voices were noticeably off to my ears, and for a moment I wondered if this was simply going to be a weakness of the speakers. Fortunately, it wasn’t. I stopped the video, started it again, and somehow everything fell into place. I can’t say exactly what happened because I didn’t change any significant settings, but voices sounded natural afterward and I haven’t continued experiencing the problem. If you encounter something similar, I’d recommend restarting the video first and, if necessary, restarting the speaker or speakers before spending too much time changing settings.
The impressive presentation makes more sense when you look at some of the audio technology Bose has put inside. TrueSpatial Technology is intended to give the speaker a broader, more spacious presentation so everything doesn’t sound as though it’s originating from one compact point in the room. Then there’s CleanBass Technology, which helps deliver the lower-end impact you want without simply overwhelming everything else. Bass can be a difficult balancing act with smaller speakers. Push it too far and everything becomes muddy; hold back too much and movies and music lose some of their excitement. From my experience, there’s a nice amount of weight here for the size.
Having two speakers opens things up even further. They can be configured as a stereo pair with separate left and right channels, which is an arrangement I think makes a lot of sense for anyone who listens to a lot of music. If home theater is more your thing, the speakers can eventually become rear surrounds when used with the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar and Subwoofer. That’s one aspect of the Lifestyle Ultra that I really appreciate. Buying one doesn’t lock you into one particular type of setup. You can start small and decide later how far you want to take it.
Easy Connectivity and Plenty of Smart Features
A speaker can sound fantastic and still become frustrating if connecting to it is a constant hassle. Thankfully, Bose gives you plenty of choices here.
For something quick and familiar, there’s Bluetooth. The Lifestyle Ultra also connects over Wi-Fi, which opens the door to additional features and makes much more sense when you begin adding other speakers around your home. Both Apple AirPlay and Google Cast are supported, so you aren’t being pushed toward one particular phone ecosystem just to easily send music to the speaker. That’s something I always appreciate. We have so many different devices around our homes now that a premium speaker should work with what we already own rather than force us to work around it.
Bose has also integrated Amazon Alexa directly into the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. If you already use Alexa for music or smart-home controls, you don’t necessarily need a separate Echo device sitting next to the speaker just to add voice functionality. Of course, I don’t always want to talk to a speaker, so it’s good that Bose hasn’t made voice control the only convenient option. There are physical touch controls on the speaker, and additional controls and settings are available through the Bose app.
The app is also where the initial setup takes place. The process is pretty painless: get the speaker powered up, work through the Bose app, connect everything to your network and you’re basically ready to start enjoying it. Software updates can also be downloaded and installed automatically while the system isn’t being used, which is one less thing to think about. Another advantage of Wi-Fi is the ability to build a multiroom audio system. Instead of purchasing completely different products for different areas of the house, Lifestyle Ultra Speakers can be placed in multiple rooms and used together. I could easily see having one in an office, another in the kitchen and a pair in the main living area. You don’t have to build that system all at once, either. That’s what I find appealing about the whole concept: buy what makes sense now and expand later if you find yourself wanting more.
A Speaker You’ll Love to Show
Sound obviously comes first, but I’m also picky about what technology looks like when it becomes a permanent fixture in a room. A great speaker doesn’t help the décor much if it looks like a giant piece of industrial equipment sitting in the corner.
The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker goes in the opposite direction. Its design is clean, relatively minimal and modern without trying too hard to look futuristic. It feels like something meant to be incorporated into your room rather than hidden behind furniture. Bose also offers different finishes, which gives you a little more flexibility depending on your décor.
Placement isn’t limited to setting it on a table or bookshelf, either. Bose sells a dedicated Lifestyle Speaker Floor Stand for $149 as well as a Lifestyle Speaker Wall Bracket for $69. I wish those accessories were a little less expensive – or included in some configurations – but they give you considerably more freedom if you’re planning a permanent stereo or surround installation. What really sells me on the Lifestyle Ultra concept, though, is how easily the system can evolve. One speaker can handle everyday listening. Two give you proper stereo separation. Add more around the house and you have multiroom audio. If you eventually want a more serious movie setup, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar and Subwoofer can enter the picture and your existing speakers can take on surround duties. I’d much rather invest in something that can grow with my setup than purchase a speaker today only to realize I need to replace it when I want something better a year from now.
Pros
- Excellent sound from a relatively compact speaker
- CleanBass provides impressive low-end performance without overpowering everything else
- TrueSpatial Technology helps produce a larger, more immersive presentation
- Two speakers can be paired for proper stereo listening
- Works with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar and Subwoofer as part of a larger theater system
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both included
- Apple AirPlay / Google Cast support and Built-in Alexa voice control
- Bose app provides additional settings and controls
- Can be expanded into a multiroom audio system
- Attractive design that fits nicely into a living space
Cons
- Purchasing several speakers for a complete system can get expensive
- I briefly experienced odd-sounding video dialogue over Bluetooth before restarting the video resolved it
In Conclusion
After using the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speakers myself, what I like most is that they can be as simple or as ambitious as you want them to be. If you just want a great wireless speaker for music, one can fill that role. Put two together and things get considerably more interesting, especially for stereo music and movies. I was genuinely impressed using my pair behind me while watching a movie, and although I had that brief hiccup with Bluetooth dialogue at the beginning, it disappeared after restarting the video and hasn’t changed my overall opinion. Between the sound quality, compact size, smart features and understated design, these are speakers I’ve really enjoyed having around.
At $299, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker sits firmly in premium-speaker territory, especially once you start thinking about purchasing two or building an entire system. Still, I think there’s real value in not having to decide on that complete system upfront. You can start with a single speaker, add another when you’re ready and eventually work your way toward a much larger Bose home theater or multiroom setup without making your original purchase obsolete. Based on my experience with them so far, I’d absolutely recommend putting the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker on your shortlist if you want premium wireless sound with plenty of options for the future. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is available directly from Bose in several finishes.
